The 9th Pennsylvania Reserves at Gettysburg

The Pennsylvania Reserves came into being when President Abraham Lincoln called for volunteers to help "put down the rebellion" in the spring of 1861. Pennsylvania responded with more volunteers than was needed so Gov Curtin decided to retain the extra men, he organized them and trained at the state's expense.

The Reserves was an infantry division that fought in many of the important battles in the Eastern Theater, and taking high casualties as a result. Fifteen regiments were formed, 1^st thru the 15^th, later they were designated the 30^th through 44^th Pennsylvania volunteers. The regiments were formed into three divisions and usually fought together until the initial enlistments expired in 1864. Some of the famous commanders of the Reserves were George A. McCall, John F. Reynolds, George G. Meade and Samuel W. Crawford.

The 9^th Pennsylvania Reserves is also known as the 38^th Pennsylvania Volunteers, which was organized at Camp Wright on June 28^th, 1861. Eight of the companies were recruited from Allegheny County, one in Crawford and one in Beaver County. After elections were held for field officers, Conrad F. Jackson was elected Colonel, Robert Anderson, Lieutenant Colonel and James M'Kinney Snodgrass, Major.

At first the men for the most part had no military training, so the officers held regular regimental and officers' drills with training in discipline. On July 22 the regiment was ordered to Washington, they departed Pittsburgh on the 23^rd, stopping at Harrisburg, where they received arms and equipment. Arriving in Washington on the 26^th where they camped on the Seventh Street Road.

On July 28^th the regiment was mustered into the United States service. The regiment was moved to Tenallytown on August 5^th where the Reserves came under the command of General M'Call. At Tenallytown the regiment began its regular routine of camp and picket duties. They came under rebel fire for the first time while on picket duties at Great Falls, along the Potomac River.

The 9^th PA Reserves entered into Virginia for the first time on October 9^th and established winter quarters near Langley; here the 9^th was assigned to the Third Brigade, commanded by Colonel M'Calmont. Between 20^th Dec 1861 and the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1^st,2^nd & 3^rd, 1863 the regiment was in the Battle of Dranesville where the regiment lost two enlisted men kill and two officers and eighteen enlisted men wounded. After this battle the regiment went into winter quarters.

On 26^th June the Ninth took part in the battle of Mechanicsville and was at first placed in support of the Third Brigade, then was marched by the flank in support of the Twelfth. They came under heavy and continuous fire but maintained the battle line and held fast.

The next morning the division was moved to Gaines' Mill where the 9^th was ordered in support of the 62^nd Pennsylvania and the 9^th Massachusetts regiments. The regiment loss was nine killed, twenty-seven wounded and sixteen taken prisoners. General C.F. Jackson, commander of the brigade was mortally wounded.

In June 1863 when Gen Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia threaten Pennsylvania, the First and Third Brigades under the command of Colonels M'Candless and Fisher was attached to the Fifth Corps, and General S.W. Crawford was assigned to command the division.

On July 2^nd, when the confederates was about to take Little Round Top, the 9^th under command of LtCol Snodgrass was ordered to clear the ground and hold the line between Big Round Top and Little Round Top. The 9^th Regiment fought hard and held back a determined and obstinate enemy and helped to secure the Union's left flank. The regiment in the battle of Gettysburg had six men wounded[1]

The regiment went on to continue to serve their country until they were recalled to Washington on May 4^th, 1864 and were mustered out of the service on May 13^th.

[1] History of Pennsylvania Volunteers - by Samuel P. Bates